Editor:
Re: Study area creates concerns, Feb. 4
The excellent story should serve as a wake-up call to Delta residents.
As Richmond Coun. Harold Steves says, it is clear that Port Metro Vancouver has huge plans to industrialize large areas of Roberts Bank and surrounding farmlands. Its plans for a massive manmade island to house a second container terminal (T2) are bad enough but worse yet may be in the port's secret agenda.
Roberts Bank is identified by Birdlife International as Canada's number one Important Bird Area (IBA) - home to millions of migratory birds and other wildlife. Regrettably, that same organization states it is one of only four Canadian IBAs that's "in danger."
Why? Because of development and transportation and service corridors; threats that it ranks as high.
Roberts Bank (specifically around Brunswick Point and close to the port) is one of only six stopover points on the entire Pacific Flyway for migrating western sandpipers. The whole population stops here to feed at some point in their lives. Building T2 threatens to devastate their feeding grounds, leading to population level declines or perhaps outright elimination of the entire species.
Environment Canada has already identified this threat to the Pacific Flyway. Despite what Port Metro Vancouver might claim, that threat cannot be mitigated.
It is time for Delta residents to speak out. Tell Delta council it needs to voice opposition to T2 and the industrialization of our community's environmental treasures.
Tell Port Metro Vancouver to stop destroying our environment.
Roger Emsley
